By Andria Michael, Junior PR Executive

Communications teams often bring together professionals at very different stages of their careers. Each person contributes their own experience, working habits, reference points and understanding of how audiences behave.

That mix can improve the quality of the work, but only when people have the confidence and opportunity to contribute.

Since joining Purpose Communications, I have seen how ideas develop through discussion, feedback and constructive challenge. A campaign rarely improves because one person has every answer. It becomes better when colleagues test the message, question assumptions and examine the idea from several angles before it reaches the audience.

This exchange should never move in only one direction. Experienced professionals can learn from colleagues who are entering the industry, while younger team members can draw on years of strategic judgement, media knowledge and client experience. Knowledge moves across the team.

This matters because public relations has always depended on understanding people. Today, audiences are spread across different platforms, generations and communities. They consume information in different ways and trust different sources. Communications teams need the breadth of judgement required to understand these differences without relying on assumptions.

Better campaigns begin with better questions

The value of an age-diverse team becomes clear during campaign development.

A communications plan may appear complete. The strategy is approved, the creative direction is ready and the content reflects the brief. Yet the discussion within the team can still reveal issues that have been overlooked.

One colleague may question whether the message will resonate with long-standing stakeholders. Another may consider how it could be interpreted on LinkedIn or TikTok. Someone else may identify a reputational risk, while another may challenge whether the creative idea supports the organisation’s wider objectives.

These questions strengthen the campaign before the public sees it.

The same principle applies to media relations, influencer activations, corporate announcements and crisis communications. A journalist’s likely response, an online audience’s interpretation and a senior stakeholder’s expectations may differ considerably. Teams that examine each of these reactions can make better decisions about tone, timing, channels and content.

Age can contribute to that range of thinking, but it should never be used as a shortcut for capability.

Experienced professionals are often associated with strategy, leadership and media relationships. Younger colleagues are frequently expected to understand social media, emerging platforms and artificial intelligence. These assumptions are convenient, but they rarely reflect how people actually work.

Strategic judgement can develop early in a career. Technological curiosity can remain strong throughout it. Capability is shaped by exposure, critical thinking and the willingness to keep learning.

AI is a shared professional responsibility

Artificial intelligence is changing the way communications teams research, plan and produce content. It can support media monitoring, summarise reports, organise information, suggest initial directions and help teams explore several approaches quickly.

Its value depends on the judgement applied to its output.

AI can assist with assessing a message, but responsibility for the final decision must remain with the communications professional. People must decide whether the content reflects the organisation’s values, whether the evidence is reliable, whether the tone is appropriate and whether the message could create reputational risk.

These responsibilities belong to the entire team.

Effective communications teams treat AI literacy as a shared capability. Colleagues learn how to use the tools, question the output and recognise their limitations. Technological confidence becomes valuable when combined with editorial discipline, strategic thinking and accountability.

This also creates opportunities for knowledge exchange. One colleague may introduce a faster research process. Another may identify a weakness in the source material. A third may recognise that the suggested narrative conflicts with the client’s reputation or long-term positioning.

Technology improves the process. Human judgement protects the outcome.

Culture determines whether age diversity adds value

Research suggests that age alone is a weak indicator of how people respond to change.

Deloitte’s 2021 report Wrong Numbers, based on a survey of over 10,000 employees across seven European countries, found no significant generational differences in people’s ability to adapt to unfamiliar technology once factors such as occupation and organisational circumstances were considered. Trust, support and time to adjust were consistently important across age groups.

The lesson for communications teams is clear. Bringing people of different ages into the same organisation does not automatically improve collaboration. The working culture must give them the space to contribute, question decisions and share what they know.

That requires practical habits. Teams need regular campaign reviews where every colleague can challenge the work. Ideas should carry shared ownership rather than being controlled by seniority. Media, platform and sector knowledge should circulate across the organisation. Feedback should explain how the work can improve, while reverse mentoring should allow expertise to move in both directions.

These practices support professional development and improve the quality of client work.

A junior colleague who feels comfortable raising a concern may prevent a message from being misunderstood online. An experienced adviser who remains open to a new platform may identify a better route to the audience. A team that considers both viewpoints can make a sounder recommendation.

Strong teams keep knowledge moving

At Purpose Communications, some of our best ideas emerge when established communications experience meets fresh observations about audiences, platforms and technology.

The value lies in the exchange. People ask better questions, challenge assumptions and bring their own knowledge into the discussion. This leads to clearer thinking and communications that are better prepared for the audiences they need to reach.

The PR industry gains when teams remain curious, share responsibility and respect the contribution each person can make.

Age diversity creates the opportunity. A culture of continuous learning turns it into better judgement, stronger campaigns and more effective communication.

At Purpose Communications, we help organisations communicate with clarity, purpose and strategic direction. Contact our team to discuss how a stronger communications approach can support your organisation.